Fruit basket packing device



NOW 1940- J. s. ANDERSON 6 FRUIT BASKET PACKING DEVICE Filed March 21,1939 Patented Nov. 5, 1940 3' UNITED STATES PATENT.

OFFICE? This invention relates to fruit basket packing devices, and hasfor one of its objects the production of a simple and eflicient meansfor facilitating the moving of the fruit from the packing tub into thebasket, without injuring or crushing the fruit.

A further object of this invention is the production of an expansibletub which is so constructed as to expand as the facer plate moveslongitudinally of the tub, while the tub is being forced downwardly overthe ejector stand.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appearthroughout the following specification and claims.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a side elevational view of the tub;

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the tub and basket positionedupon the ejector stand, certain parts being shown in section;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of Figure 4.

By referring to the drawing, it will be seen that H] designates thepacking tub which is preferably formed of galvanized iron, steel, orother suitable material. The wall of the packing tub is provided withoverlapping ends I which overlapping ends are pivotally securedtogether, as at l2, near the inner end of the tub, as shown in Figure 1.The overlapping ends preferably flare outwardly to become wider at theouter end of the tub than at the inner end, as shown clearly in Figurel. The inner end of the tub is provided with an outwardly inclinedflange |3 which is preferably reinforced by a reinforcing plate Hi, theplate 14 being held in position by a rolled rim portion l5. A pluralityof longitudinally extending straps l6 are secured to one side of the tubl0 and upon the outer face of the wall thereof, and a plurality oflongitudinally extending straps H are secured to the opposite side ofthe tub ||1 upon the outer face of the wall thereof, and these straps llare arranged on opposite sides of the overlapping ends H of the tub.These longitudinally extending straps l6 and l! are provided withlaterally extending basket-supporting feet |8, which feet l8 are spacedinwardly with respect to the outer edge IQ of the tub lfl. Lugs 20 aresecured to the straps ll near their outer ends adjacent the feet.|8, anda tension coil spring 2| is secured at its opposite ends to the oppositelugs 20, and this spring 2| spans or overlies the overlapping ends ofthe wall of the tub. A shield or guard plate 22 issecured, as at 23, toone of the walls and overlies the overlapping ends II, as shown indetail in Figure 5,- and this shield plate 22 is provided with parallelflanges 24 running longitudinally of the plate to provide a shieldingpanel for holding the tension coil spring 2| against lateraldisplacement.

In connection with my invention, I also employ an extension collar 25which is adapted to fit within the inner end of the tub Ill, as shown indetail in Figures 3 and 4, which collar 25 comprises a circular bandhaving a rolled flange 26 along one edge for receiving an outwardlyinclined supporting flange 21, which flange in turn is provided with arolled or beaded edge 28. This outwardly inclined flange 21 is adaptedto constitute a rest for the flange l3 of the tub when the tub I!) isplaced upon the collar 25. This collar 25 is provided with suitablehand-holds or apertures 29 near the bottom edge 3llthereof, and asuitable facer plate 3| is adapted to be slidably mounted through thecollar 25 and the tub Ill. The facer plate 3| is provided with adepending flange 32 of sufficient depth to support the edges 33 of thefacer plate normally just above the hand-holds 29, as shown in Figure 3so that the operator may stick his fingers through the holds 29 andsupport the edges 33 of the plate 3| while moving the tub to a positionupon the ejector stand 34 of the conventional type. This collar 25 willefliciently support the tub H) in a proper position where it may beconveniently lifted from the table or the floor to the ejector stand.

The operation of the device is as follows:

The tub Ill and collar 25 are lifted from the floor, table or othersupport to a position upon the ejector stand 34, as shown in ,Figure 4.The facer plate 3| rests upon the upper end of the ejector stand 34 inthe conventional manner, thereby supporting the tub ID in the positionshown in Figure 4. The basket 3 is then placed over the upper end of thetub I0 in an inverted position, the outer edge of the basket restingupon the supporting feet I 8 of the respective straps l6 and I1. As'thebasket B is pushed downwardly, the tub In in turn is forced downwardlyover the ejector stand 34 and the follower plate 3| will move upwardlythrough the length of the tub Ill and will spread the upper end of thetapering tub outwardly against the tension of the spring 2| therebypreventing the fruit from becoming crushed, marred or injured due to thetapering nature of the wall of the tub. The pressure of the fruit alsowill assist in spreading the wall of the tub. The spring 2| is ofsufficient tension to yield sufiiciently as the facer plate 3| moveslongitudinally, and in this way the fruit will be easily andconveniently ejected from the tub l0 without compression resistance. Thetension of the spring 2| will normally hold the fruit in a firm compactcondition, but at the same time will sufiiciently yield to allow theouter end of the tub to increase in diameter as the facer plate 3| ismoved longitudinally. In this way,

the fruit will be forced into the basket B with a ably holding thetapering end against expansion,

a guard plate secured to the outerface of the wall of the tub andoverlying the overlapping ends thereof, the guard plate having parallelspaced flanges to provide a spring-receiving channel, and said springbeing adapted to fit longitudinally within said channel, in a mannerwhereby the overlapping edges of the tub will be prevented from pinchingand cutting the spring as the tub contracts.

2. A fruit basket packing device comprising a tub having an expansibletapering outer end and an enlarged inner end, the wall of the tub havingoverlapping portions, means for connecting the overlapping portions nearthe inner end of the tub, the overlapping portions of the tub beingadapted to slide one over the other for increasing and decreasing thediameter of the outer end of the tub, a spring guard plate secured tothe outer face of the wall of the tub at one end, and the other end ofthe guard plate overhanging the overlapping ends of the walls of thetub,

a spring spanning the overlapping portions adjacent the expansibletapering end and secured to the walls of the tub at its opposite ends atpoints beyond the overlapping portions of the walls for yieldablyholding the tapering end against expansion, and said spring overlyingthe guard plate in a manner whereby the overlapping edges of the tubwill be guarded from pinching and cutting the spring as the tubcontracts.

JOHN S. ANDERSON.

